Wear your pyjamas with pride for Humphrey’s Pyjama Week

Humphrey’s Pyjama Week takes place on the 2nd October. It’s a fun-filled activity week to help raise money for The Children’s Trust, a charity which has teamed up with the popular Humphrey’s Corner brand. The Children’s Trust provides rehabilitation, education and specialist services for children with a brain injury.

Across the UK, it’s estimated that over 40,000 children will suffer a brain injury as a result of an accident or illness. This is known as ‘acquired brain injury’. Although some children are very lucky and make a full recovery, others will be left with permanent and life-changing after-effects. Thousands more children are born each year with brain injuries or suffer from a degenerative condition which affects their brain.

The Children’s Trust and their staff aim to support children with complex medical needs to help them live their lives to the fullest. The services provided by the charity are not fully covered by statutory sources and, therefore, it relies on voluntary donations from its supporters.

All monies raised during this special week go towards providing specialist care for children, as well as organised trips such as outings to farms, museums and the cinema.

How to support Humphrey’s Pyjama Week

For a suggested voluntary donation of £2, supporters are asked to wear their pyjamas for the day. There are lots of other activities your nursery or pre-school could take part in during the week itself, here are some ideas:

Encourage children to bring their favourite bedtime story to read in their pyjamas in your cosy corner

Help toddlers make their own teddy bear biscuits to enjoy at tea time

Run a ‘Guess the teddy’s name’ raffle, with the winner being able to take the bear home

Hold a bake sale – you could even offer traditional bedtime drinks such as hot chocolate and marshmallows

Play slumber-themed games such as sleeping lions

Ask children to bring in their favourite teddy for the day

Organising your own Humphrey’s Pyjama Week

Humphrey’s Pyjama Week doesn’t have to take place on the 2nd October – it can be organised for any week where your setting can facilitate it. To help raise awareness, you could put a note for parents in your newsletter explaining why you’re supporting this important cause. Do make sure you give parents plenty of notice to prepare their children’s pyjamas.

If you visit The Children’s Trust website, you can download free templates for hats, bunting and colouring sheets to print off as part of your activities. There is also a free poster which you can display in your setting.

Lastly, why not ask the children what fundraising activities they’d like to take part in? This could form the basis of some very unique and interesting ideas!